BA (Hons) Photography

Creative Skillset approved and recognised by the Association of Photographers, our BA (Hons) Photography degree course will establish you as a professional practitioner, ready for a successful career within the photographic industries.

You’ll develop a highly personal, unique and creatively aspirational practice, while perfecting the practical skills and understanding to apply your vision to a range of contexts within the creative industries. Whether you pursue a career in advertising, editorial, fashion, or another role in the creative industries, your style will be unmistakable.

Your photography skills

As you hone your craft you’ll learn how to commercialise your creative output, thinking about how to apply your approach to briefs and the needs of clients to produce aspirational work that has application in a range of industries.

Access to a wide range of industry-level photographic and lighting equipment throughout your degree will give you the tools to produce imaginative and original images to the highest possible standards. Pushing the boundaries of photographic practices, you’ll learn how to produce compelling photography using whatever technology is most suitable to support your creative vision.

Your photography future

Reflecting the industry today by employing predominantly digital technology, this undergraduate photography course will see you actively engage in the rapidly developing nature of photography and exploring the possibilities of new and emerging technologies such as digital moving image and CGI.

With a visiting industry guest speaker featured almost every week and regular opportunities to receive feedback from current practitioners, business skills like self-promotion, networking and client management are front and centre throughout your degree, meaning you’ll graduate with momentum as you enter the industry.

Graduates work in a broad range of careers including

Photographer

Photographic Assistant

Art Director

Image Producer

Picture Editor

Digital Retoucher

Picture Librarian

Curator

CGI Artist

Teaching Technician

Digital Assistant

Photographer’s Agent

Picture Researcher

Studio Assistant

You’ll also get specialist creative careers advice from our Careers Team in the Ideas FactoryNUA to help support you as you plan your career.

NUA welcomes applicants of all ages from all backgrounds. Your application will be primarily assessed through interview and portfolio review so even if you have no formal qualifications or do not meet our typical offers it can still be worth applying.

If you are studying at the time of your application and your interview is successful, it is likely that you will receive a conditional offer.

If the qualification that you are studying is not shown, do not worry as we are able to accept other pre-entry qualifications as well as combinations of different qualifications. Please do contact our Student Recruitment Team if you have any queries.

International applications

We accept qualifications from all over the world. To find our entry requirements from a specific country, please check our dedicated international pages.

Most international students are required to hold an English language qualification. Applicants are required to have a minimum UKVI approved IELTS exam score of 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each section. Equivalent English language qualifications are acceptable such as, IB English language syllabus A or B/English Literature (Grade 4).

After you apply to study BA Photography at NUA we’ll invite you to an interview on campus or by Skype or telephone, depending on your circumstance.

If you apply by the UCAS deadline of 15 January your interview will usually take place in February. We’ll ask you to prepare your portfolio ready to bring with you or submit online ahead of your interview.

The cost of your course is determined by your status as either ‘UK/EU’ or ‘International’, so it’s important to check your fee status. If you’re unsure, the UKCISA website will help you determine whether you’re eligible to pay a UK/EU fee (also called a ‘home’ fee). If you’d prefer to speak to NUA directly, please contact student.finance@nua.ac.uk

UK/EU students are eligible for a tuition fee loan from the UK government, meaning you won’t have to pay your fees up front. Further details about tuition fee loans are provided below. International students are not eligible for the UK government tuition fee loan.

Tuition fee loans and loans for living costs are available, as well as non-repayable NUA bursaries that take into account family income. Find out how to apply for funding.

Tuition Fee Loan for Undergraduate study

Tuition fee loans are available for UK and EU students.

Available to cover the full cost of your tuition

You don’t have to pay for your course up front yourself

Only start paying back when you are earning over £25,000 per year

Maintenance Loan for Undergraduate study – 2018/19

Student Maintenance Loans are available for UK and eligible EU students to help with living costs such as accommodation, food, clothes, travel and course expenses. The amount students receive is dependent on household income and any maintenance grant received.

A loan of up to £8,700 may be available if you live away from home.

A loan of up to £7,324 may be available if you live with your parents.

For new entrants whose household income is assessed as £25,000 or less, the university will offer a contribution towards the costs of studying at NUA (such as equipment, materials and other course-related costs). This will be £200 for new entrants to Year 0 and Year 1, rising to £300 in Year 2, followed by £500 in Year 3. Find out more about bursaries at NUA.

NUA alumni, staff and feeder staff discount

All NUA alumni are eligible for a £1,000 discount on NUA postgraduate degree fees. All NUA staff and staff from feeder institutions are eligible for a £500 discount on NUA postgraduate degree fees.

Four year degree

Four year degrees are exactly the same as our three year degrees but include an extra year of study at the beginning – Year 0.

Year 0 is about developing the skills, knowledge and the confidence you need to successfully complete your degree course. Building on your experience from A Level or equivalent courses, the Year 0 curriculum allows time to develop the practical, creative and conceptual skills that are critical to successfully completing an undergraduate degree at NUA. You will achieve this, making full use of the University workshops and studio facilities.

While studying Year 0 BA (Hons) Photography you will build upon key technical and craft skills that are fundamental to a sustainable photographic practice. The first project is centred upon studying and utilising techniques of lighting, composition and framing of key photographic references, working both on location and within the studio.

You will then build on these skills through exploration of ideas around self-portraiture. Project briefs encourage visual research, documentation and communication within a range of different contexts. You will work with course tutors and have the opportunity to join first, second and third year students for guest lectures.

Related Courses

Students

Leoni Lessmann

"When I first started at NUA my work was mainly portraiture but the course has enabled me to develop my skills in still life photography – it really pushed me into finding my own photographic focus and style."

BA (Hons) Photography

Jordan Hudson

"Norwich is a beautiful fusion of modern and historic buildings; there’s an endless list of cafes and restaurants, modern shopping complexes and a river running through the heart."